| Aerial photography is defined as the capturing of an | | | | images are extremely popular and accessible. The |
| image from a camera which is not supported by a | | | | Satellite pictures offer a similar use as its predecessor |
| ground based structure. This can include anything from | | | | however each has their respective benefits. |
| an aircraft, helicopter or air balloon to a kite, blimp or | | | | Aerial photographs offer an analogue of images at |
| miniature plane. | | | | higher resolution which have a 3D stereo effect and |
| The history of aerial photography is diverse and began | | | | are easier to in interpret due to a higher understanding |
| nearly as soon as the camera was invented. Gaspar | | | | of the image. However Satellite offers a greater areal |
| Felix Tournachon was a French balloonist and | | | | extent with exclusively digital data and repetitive |
| photographer who spent three years perfecting a | | | | coverage of a greater wavelength, the data is also |
| technique to capture a small village in France for | | | | easier to analyse. |
| surveying purposes. | | | | There are some problems highlighted by a comparison |
| Unfortunately his photographers did not survive so the | | | | with non-aerial photography. Often images will be |
| oldest aerial image is one of Boston taken from an air | | | | taken at an angle to the subject creating a distortion in |
| balloon in 1860. As air balloons were expensive and | | | | perception with nearer objects being larger in relation |
| cumbersome to operate other more accessible | | | | with subjects further away. Certain providers of |
| techniques were developed including kites and even | | | | satellite images solve this problem using software |
| carrier pigeons. | | | | packages, correcting distortion and creating 3D images |
| There were obvious drawbacks to these methods | | | | of terrain. |
| including the flight paths not being reliable however it | | | | Although the uses of aerial photography have become |
| was not long before the first images were capture | | | | increasingly commercialised its military routes have not |
| from a plane. It was in World War I when the | | | | been forgotten. Aerial photographs appear regularly in |
| photographic discipline really took off with both sides | | | | the news and airspace is carefully restricted due to |
| using planes so capture images of the opposing lines | | | | massive advances in spy technology, descendants |
| of defence. | | | | from the original World War I reconnaissance aircraft. |
| Following the end of the war the developed techniques | | | | Satellites have been synonymous with reconnaissance |
| were put to non-military use with consecutive aerial | | | | or spying as it is otherwise known. High resolution |
| photographs being linked together to create maps. | | | | photography can be obtained from satellites and the |
| These maps were put to many different uses and | | | | information can be used in detecting anything from |
| were found to have significant commercial value. | | | | small military manoeuvres to missile launches. Most of |
| Today the images are not just used for mapping. | | | | the US Satellite programmes post 1974 are still |
| Many industry sectors benefit from aerial photography, | | | | considered highly sensitive and are classified. |
| from commercial real estate to the film industry. | | | | Today aerial and satellite photography is a lucrative |
| Images are used for property assessment, water | | | | industry. The Professional Aerial Photographers |
| utilization, archaeology and safety planning, to name but | | | | Association or PAPA is an international trade |
| a few. | | | | organisation for the industry and more information |
| Today as in many photographic disciplines digital | | | | about the history and ethics surrounding aerial |
| photography has replace celluloid and now satellite | | | | photography can be obtained from their website. |